Research & FAQs

1. You want a high quality home package and don't want to overpay.
2. You want the most complete package and you don't want any surprises to pop up after it is too late.
3. You want the most complete package because you don't have a lot of time to waste shopping a hundred different stores.
4. You want a complete package, so all things fit and work together and if they don't it is our responsibility.
5. We are not high pressure, we aren't going to "talk you into" anything.
6. You want quality kiln dried logs.
7. You want to buy from people who want to help you, appreciate your business and will service you in the years to come.
8. You want a home company who can customize standard plans or draw completely new plans and not pay extra in the end for that. You want kitchen and bath designers on staff to help coordinate the finished project.
9. You don't want to be tricked by some slick salesman. You want to be told the truth even if the truth doesn't sound as good.
10. Golden Eagle is owned and operated by brothers Jay and Tod Parmeter of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, not some overseas corporation or conglomerate. We actually work at Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes, we actually live in a Golden Eagle Log and Timber Home, and can actually be reached if you have a problem before, during, or after the sale.
11. We are flexible. If you want to deduct something out of our complete package, for example your brother is a cabinet maker, we can deduct them and credit your account for them.
12. We listen to you, your needs, and wants. It is not about what we want; it is about what you and your family wants.

It is really simple, we listened to you, the customer. Here is how it happened and here is how we were able to accommodate our customers.

When we first started selling log homes, we also owned and operated a building center. We set up our first log model home in the parking lot of the building center and when potential log home customers came in and asked how much the log home was, we told them $22,000.00 and they said "Great! We want one!".

Then they asked does that include the kitchen cabinets, the bathroom fixtures, the fireplace, the closet shelving, the trim, and prehung doors etc.? And the answer at that time was no. We found people wanted the whole package, not just the shell. Because we had everything available in the building center to make it a complete package; we started to include everything in the package and the rest is history.

• With a "complete package" all the components will be compatible. Your doors, windows, cabinets, plumbing, vanities, etc. will all be the right size, right color, and will coordinate throughout the home.
• Speaking of windows, let's say you buy one house full of windows once in your life, or one kitchen once in your life and then you have trouble with them. Who do you think the manufacturer will help more? The customer who bought from them one time and will never buy again, or Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes who purchases over 100 houses full of windows or 100 kitchens every year.
• With a complete package you will know what your total costs are.
• Our customers have an almost unlimited range of choices while choosing their package. Visit the Bertch website to see some of the kitchen and bathroom cabinetry available to our customers.
• With an incomplete package no one party will know the whole project and many things can get overlooked and forgotten until the end, then things get tense.
• Golden Eagle has customer service staff to handle any situation that may arise. A complete package from Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes will simplify your life.

We buy direct from the manufacturers. Truckloads of lumber, OSB, shingles, windows, cabinets, stone, etc. are purchased to eliminate one markup in the buying process. The end result is a less expensive home for our customers.

Our typical pricing is based on Eastern White Pine. We choose it because it has the best looking wood grain and knots. The grain is sharp and clean.

We have tried many other types of Pine, Red Pine, and Norway Pine which tend to bleed pitch even after it is kiln dried. We find the Eastern White Pine is much more resistant to rot. Southern Yellow Pine warps and is not attractive.

Other species you can request are Douglas Fir or Western Red Cedar.

First of all, imagine that on a Golden Eagle full log home, only the first floor exterior walls are full log. Gable ends, dormers, ceiling cavities, sub floors, garage firewalls, garage walls, and all interior partition walls are conventional 2 x 6 construction. So there are few actual full log areas. But in those full log areas we have three methods for running electrical wiring.

• On the "D" shaped homes you can hide the wires in an 8" tall baseboard and switches can be hidden behind the 6" wide door trim.
• On double round full logs we recommend drilling up as you build the wall. This can be done on the "D" full log too!
• We also have a Elevated Stack Wall System which makes electrical wiring very easy. Learn more by watching the following video:

Episode #1 Log Home Construction - Stacking Log Walls, Framing & Building TechniquesIn this episode, we start the new home building process, showing you exactly how the logs are raised and stacked. We also show you how the interior partition walls are framed up, and go into detail on our elevated log stack construction method.

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No. Your Golden Eagle log home will only settle about 3/8 of an inch. We are using kiln dried logs, so settling is not an issue.

Tell your friend you are not buying a handcrafted log; which will settle 3"-4"; but instead you are buying a Golden Eagle Log Home that does not have the settling issues.

Yes, we have done it many times for our past customers.

Because you need it and you also need it for the upwards facing checks.

We know some log home companies probably can sell more log home packages by telling their future customers they don't need it, but that is not honest. We have had many customers come to us and buy tubes of Log Builder caulk for other brands of log homes because they were told they didn't have to have caulking.

Like any home the lifetime of the home depends on the care the owner puts into it. If you build it right, and properly take care of it, it will last generations.

In Scandinavia there are log homes that are more than 1,000 years old and are still in excellent condition.

No. Because Golden Eagle provides only dry logs, the cabinets can be screwed directly to the log wall.

In most cases:

• 3-4 months to build a 1,400 - 1,800 square foot home
• 5-6 months for a 1,800 - 2,100 square foot home
• 6-9 months for a 2,200 - 3,200 square foot home.

But basically, it depends on how large of a crew your builder has and how difficult the house is to build, etc.

It is just an insurance policy. The trim hides it and it is insulated and flashed. so it is a good idea. Just in case, we also slot the window and door bucks. It's better to be safe than sorry later.

Great question! Both our full logs and half logs are up to 16' in length. Some companies only offer up to a 9' length. Shorter lengths mean too many seams in the wall.

• Professional grade kitchen appliances with warming and cooling drawers or even beverage and wine coolers.
• A walk-in pantry with lots of storage for food and small appliance organization.
• Finish your garage walls, floors, ceiling and add cabinets or storage systems.  You can even add a hybrid/electric vehicle charging station!
• Have your mantel and log posts custom hand-carved.
• Expand outdoor living spaces with optional radiant heat and a fireplace or maybe even a wood-fired pizza oven.
• Add a room for your hobby or just for your personal space.
• Consider a spa-style master bath with heated tile floors, towel warmer, and heated walk-in shower with no doors.
• Make your own electricity by adding a solar-panel shingle system, solar panels or wind sphere or windmill.
• Protect your family with an emergency back-up generator for storms and emergencies.
• Smart-wire your home for cable, internet, phone, speakers, home theater, alarm/surveillance, automation, web-cams, etc.
• Add more living space or a secret hideaway/safe room under the garage floor by using a spancrete floor system.
• Add toasty warm in-floor heating for every floor in the home, basement, garage and even the sidewalk.  They can be zone controlled for energy savings.  Or add solar hot water panels or an exterior wood boiler to be more green and energy efficient.
• Increase your wall height, add cathedral ceilings to rooms other than just the great room.
• Add a room for special sports equipment & storage like snowmobile clothing, ATV/cycle gear, hunting gear, etc.
• Theater rooms, arcade rooms, indoor pools, wine tasting rooms, indoor firing ranges, you name it and we can do it!
  

If you want to place an order for your new Golden Eagle Log and Timber Home package you need to know about our 20/50/30 payment schedule. Let's use the typical $300,000.00 package example. Here's what you need to know:

• The minimum down payment is 20% of the log home package price. To process the order, we must receive the 10% down payment of $60,000.00 from you (or your lender) in the form of a cashier's check or wire transfer. This leaves a balance due of $240,000.00, not including any change orders you may have.
• Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes must receive a certified check or wire transfer for the amount of $150,000.00 (plus any change order payments that are due) at least three business days before the truck departs with your first shipment. This amount is 50% of your log home package proposal.
• When the "rough-in shipment" (exterior doors, plumbing fixtures, fireplace, split log, windows, etc.) is scheduled for delivery, Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes must receive the remaining 30% due, which would be $90,000.00 (plus any change order payments that are due), in the form of a certified check or wire transfer at least three business days before the truck departs with your shipment.

If you will be financing your home, please contact your lending institution to confirm they will comply with the log home package payment schedule. Some larger financial institutions use title companies to disburse your money. Some title companies may hold (invest) your money for up to three weeks without paying subcontractors. One reason why Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes can offer such competitive prices is that all our customers pay three business days before delivery. If your financial institution is unable to comply, we can help you find one who can.

Yes, log & timber homes appreciate much faster than regular homes, so they are an excellent investment. The sooner you build the better.

We are noticing the smaller local banks have been easier to work with lately. Contact your Golden Eagle sales representative and they will help guide you in the right direction. But please talk to local banks and credit unions about getting pre-approved to see what their qualifications are. If you were pre-approved a year ago things have changed and you need to get pre-approved again.

• Make sure they are providing new construction loans. Have they made any construction loans in the last 3 months? Some lenders have become pretenders since the banking crisis of 2008.
   
• Ask them if they are accepting of the Golden Eagle payment terms regarding the material package. We can provide you a copy of this information so that the lender has all of the questions answered. If they won't pay for the materials per our contract terms, then you should look elsewhere.
   
• Ask them about appraisal fees, rates, terms and if there are any other financing fees associated with getting financing through their company.
   
• Ask them how long it would take to get financing put together once you begin the process.

Pictured here are Jeffrey A Meyers, Wood Trust Bank (middle), Jay (left) and Tod (right) Parmeter, Co-owners of Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes. Feel free to contact Jeffrey at 715-422-0323 with any questions.

Yes we are. We have been around since 1966, and have lived in the same small town our whole life. We encourage you to call our banker if you are at all concerned. We wanted to put this question in here because some people forget how important it is to deal with a reputable company. You don't want to deal with a log home company that is going to go broke halfway through the construction of your home. Make sure they have the means to satisfy you. Look at how much inventory they have. Visit several plants, look at their manufacturing facility, and how their warehouse, model home and grounds are kept up. Look for red flags. You are going to give some company a lot of money for a package, so be sure they have the means to provide all the materials you will need to complete your log home.

No problem and the prices are comparable to regular homes. Be sure to take out your policy before any work is started on your property.

Talk to your agent because you want to protect yourself from liabilities such as curious neighbors falling into your basement, or worse. You should also make sure any and all sub contractors who will be working on your log home have a certificate of insurance. Don't be shy to ask. If they are reputable they won't mind that you have asked to see it.

Why wait if your kids are still living at home. Let them enjoy your new log home too! If you are near retirement age and the kids are gone, why not build it to vacation in now and retire later.

Here is a true story-
A young couple came in and we priced an Eagle II for them. After seeing the price they decided to wait to build so they could save some money. For three years they rented and were able to put $15,000 in their savings. But when they came back the price of the home had gone up $18,000, so all of the money they had saved lost all of its buying power due to inflation. Don't wait, let's get started today!

• While keeping the livable square footage of the home the same, consider making the footprint of the home smaller and finishing off the basement. This one maneuver that can save you $50,000.00 or more. Modern basements are insulated, warm and dry. They have high ceilings with large windows or a walk-out wall. Your finished lower level can look every bit as nice as the rest of your home.
• Our Complete Half Log Home Package includes authentic looking butt & pass, dovetail or saddle notch corners. You can use vertical log corners instead and save a couple thousand dollars or more.
• In our Complete Package, we include stone going up the entire chimney -- inside and out. Reduce the amount of stone to simply the mantle height and put tongue & groove pine over the chase. This way could save thousands of dollars in labor and materials.
• Downsize your home. Look at your floor plan. What rooms in the home are you really going to use the most often? Every square foot you reduce will help the overall price go down.
• Many of our plans are shown and priced with attached garages. If you don't need a garage, because you are going to have a big out building, deduct the garage from your plan.
• More drywall on the inside of your home will save you money. When it doesn't matter to you if it's drywall or tongue & groove -- go with drywall. Drywall costs less in material and labor versus using tongue & groove pine or half log.
• Do some of the work on the home yourself. Negotiate a reduced price from the builder for some of your sweat equity. For example, you could clean up inside and outside the jobsite daily. You could stain or caulk. Putting up the closet shelves, insulating, painting drywall, etc. Speak with the builder and see what you could do to save money. It could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars!
• In our Complete Package, we include our kitchen and bath cabinets with real wood dovetailed drawers. By substituting a laminated particle board drawer -- you could save hundreds of dollars.
• Our Complete Package includes solid panel wood doors. We can exchange these doors for flat, hollow core, real oak or birch wood. This would save you hundreds of dollars or more. If you were interested in upgrading to these pine wood doors down the road, the option is always available!

Yes. Our log homes are easy to build, and our plans are very detailed. If your builder has questions, we have a helpline that's open every weekday.

Full log walls offer thermal mass, which is a way of storing energy from the furnace or air conditioner. The log wall stores energy like a battery and releases it slowly.

Yes.  Both owners, brothers Jay & Tod Parmeter and their families, live in Golden Eagle Log and Timber Homes.

Yes and we heat treat too!

Once in a while the customer and salesperson just may not mesh or understand each other, but you still want to buy a Golden Eagle log or timber home. Please call Jay or Tod Parmeter and they will find a more compatible salesperson for you.

The evidence is that solid log walls have a slower fire spread rate than a stick built home, due to the mass of the logs. Example: which burns faster in your campfire, small pieces of chopped wood or big logs?

Yes, Yes, Yes!

We cannot even remember the last time somebody built a stock plan and didnt change something. We have designers on staff full time to help you get your dream log home designed the way you want it.

The Fall Rush
The fall rush usually starts about August 15th and goes strong until Thanksgiving. In the northern states the ground starts to freeze by Thanksgiving and in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota when deer hunting week hits the world stops. It seems like all of the builders and subcontractors take that week off. So, if your basement foundation isn't in by then prepare to dig in frozen ground. A tip to keep the ground from freezing where your basement will be is to put a 6" to 12" layer of hay (straw) over the area to be dug with a tarp over the hay. This usually works real good to keep the ground from freezing.

Winter
Why would anybody build in the winter you ask? Actually, the builders and subcontractors are less busy due to the fact that some customers believe you can't build in the winter. The truth is homes are built all year long and the builders and subcontractors need work all year long too! For a winter build you need to get organized in the fall or late summer before the ground is frozen so you can get your perk test done and pull your building permits. It's also the time to get the driveway in and have the electrical power run in too. Don't skimp on your driveway, put in a wide, solid driveway. Yes, it will get torn up a little during construction but it can easily be re-graded when you are done. Delivery trucks and contractors getting stuck in your driveway are not good for morale. Make sure it is wide enough and tall enough for a cement truck. The more curves, the wider you need to make it. It should be 12' to 20' wide and clear tree branches 14' up. You will also need to clear about a 25' area around the foundation of the house for ventilation, and don't forget to clear an area to stage materials. You will need a minimum of two to three thousand square feet for that.
Another term you will hear in late fall is capping the foundation. This is where the basement foundation is put in with just the sub floor system installed. This method keeps snow out of the basement and then the builder can shovel off the sub floor and begin building anytime in the winter or early spring.

The Spring Rush
It is human nature to procrastinate and say we will wait until spring to start building. That is probably one reason the spring is the busiest time of the year. Now let's talk about road limits, or another term is posted roads. In northern climates the secondary roads are often posted to keep heavy trucks off of them when the frost starts to leave the ground. The road restrictions are usually on for 6-8 weeks. Keeping the heavy trucks off the roads when the ground is soft protects the roads. Road limits often keep concrete trucks and our trucks from making deliveries. Spring is usually March 21st, but with road limits and spring rains the spring starts sometimes turn into summer starts. Again, it is just best to start your building plans early. In the northern climates have your foundation poured in late fall so you can have your log home package delivered before the road limits are in effect in spring.

1. Exposed Beam: We use the words Exposed Beam Timber Frame when the timber frame home isn't framed structurally with timbers. We can save our customers up to 50% when we engineer and build the home conventionally and then just add the timber or log accents for aesthetics.
2. Structural Beam: Structural Beam Timber Framing is when the "beams" or timbers create the structural skeleton of the home.